You’re encouraged often to be pure. To abstain from this. To avoid that. You know what not to do. And rightly so.
But why? What’s the point of maintaining purity? Is it only about what you don’t do? What about what you should do? And what happens when you’re already impure?
PURITY’S PURPOSE: TO LOVE
Purity’s purpose, like all else Jesus taught, is so you can love others more and reflect the glory of God (1 Timothy 1:5).
We’ve been reading over and over in John 15 (and memorizing) where Jesus clearly states His intentions for all: Love one another (John 15:12).
- He’s declared you clean for that reason (John 15:3).
- He abides in you for that reason (John 15:5).
- He laid down His very life for that reason (John 15:13).
So you can love. Out of a pure heart can come pure love. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). Once you’ve seen Him, you can show Him to others.
He wants to use you around His table to love another.
You are God’s good china.
BUT IF YOU’RE DIRTY
If you, like each of us, have dirt on your plate (Proverbs 20:9), know this: You’re still a valuable dish!
No one is pure by his own doing; you are only pure because God says so.
Don’t stay hidden on a shelf behind cabinet doors because you think you’re too stained. Maybe you think you lack energy or beauty or skills to love others the way God wants you to. You’ve got a damaged past that brings consequences. And hidden temptations even now that are hard to beat. Welcome to humanity. Everybody lacks. Too tired tonight, too mad tomorrow, too insecure right now to send out a party invitation.
Does that mean you give up altogether on purity? Certainly not. Don’t sin more so grace can abound more (Romans 6:1). Keep doing the dishes and wiping off the table.
But rest in knowing that even though God sees the inside of your cup as well as the outside, He still chooses you anyway (John 15:16). He loves you anyway. He will love through you anyway.
SERVE UP GRACE
Jesus—grace personified—did maintain a completely pure life so that through His purity, you are clean. Abide in His love to more purely love others (1 Peter 1:22).
You keep throwing the party; trust God to multiply the fish and loaves. As He loves you as you are, learn to love others as they are.
So set the table and invite another to gather around. Let go of any shame over your broken pieces and let God use you to nourish another. A nicked plate can still serve great food. Something greater, higher, bigger.
It’s not about the dishes anyway. It’s about the fellowship around the table. Jesus is the host, the bread, and the wine.
It’s a serving of grace; is there anything sweeter or purer?
Grace, dished out even on chipped china, is an irresistible meal.
Do you allow your past to prevent you from loving in the present?
Who needs you today to serve a meal of grace?
Please share in the comments.
Beautiful thoughts! I never thought before of us as God’s good china–lots of good things to ponder here!
You are definitely a beautiful piece of china, Susan. :) Thanks for all your encouragement in our Hide His Word group–you serve up grace well.
Hi Lisa! I love your image of china, and how precious we are. And fragile! But what really struck me was the ‘dirty’ part. Our china gets dirty after use, but it’s still beautiful under all those dinner scraps. I really like that image, thank you!
Blessings,
Ceil
And He knows how “fragile” we are — ooh, that’s a good point, Ceil. That reminds me of what Jesus quoted from Isaiah: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench” (Matt 12:20). He knows how to handle us gently so we won’t totally break. We may get nicked around the edges from life and our own sins, but He’s written on us “Fragile: This End Up!”. Thank you, friend.
Lisa … I’ll take this image with me as I make my way through today. thanks, friend.
I’m thankful God gives us so many ways to be reminded of His love. Glad this can serve as one of them.
Lisa, this is priceless! Priceless. And so needed for my soul today. Excellent.
Good to hear! Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm, Jody.
Great analogy. We’re all a little chipped and dinged, but still useful… Good call.
So true. And the more we walk through life, the more chips and dings we’ll get. But thankfully it doesn’t change the taste of the meal. :) Grateful we’re at the table together, Floyd.
I love these words, “Once you’ve seen Him, you can show Him to others.” Not only can we, but we must. Love this post! Thank you.
It becomes a fire in our bones to share Him, yes? I love your addition of the word “must” share Him. The sharing will look and sound different from each of us, but we all know something good when we’ve experienced it, and we can’t keep it in. Thanks, Heather.
Love this: “A nicked plate can still serve great food.” Thankful, since we all have nicks and chips.
I’m thankful, too, Barbara. And what a blessing that we get to serve from the riches of Jesus instead of our own pantries.
Thank you…
After years of being sexually abused, then turning to promiscuity it’s hard to see myself as china.
It’s hard to take in how much God loves me.
God knows I need grace to make it today and everyday.
I tend to be more negative and down on myself, yet I yearn to bloom.
Oh, Michelle, I appreciate you showing up here with such vulnerability. You are a beautiful piece of china indeed! We all have much to be thankful about for God making all things new, and bringing new mercies every morning. When He says we’re clean and spotless, it is so. Blessings to you on your journey to believe it more and more every day.
I like the way you have presented this. I was a bit unsure as I started reading because there seems to be quite a lot written about purity that is dismissive and blaming but here is something different. Something loving and affirming. A beautiful post welcoming all to the table just as Jesus did. Thank you for this. Thank you very much.
Your words mean much to me, Juliet. Too often we hold up impurity as the unforgivable sin, which only serves to deflate us because our efforts at perfect purity will always fail.
Instead, because of Jesus’s perfection and grace, we do all have a seat at the table, yes. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts.